Hurricane Maria killed nearly 3,000 people in Puerto Rico in the desperate, sweltering months after the storm with the elderly and impoverished most affected, according to an independent study ordered by the U.S. territory.

Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands braced for heavy rains and strong winds Monday as remnants of the new season's first hurricane provided an initial test of how far they've recovered from last year's devastating storms.

Hurricane Maria, which pummeled Puerto Rico in September 2017, is likely responsible for the deaths of more than 4,600 people -- some 70 times higher than official estimates, U.S. researchers said Tuesday.